Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884

Articles from the July 9, 2020 edition


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  • PRECorp rate case set for public hearing

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 9, 2020

    Powder River Energy’s (PRECORP) bid to adjust its rates this year has been scheduled for a public hearing this month. The cooperative proposed the increase to the Wyoming Public Service Commission (PSC) at the tail end of 2019 in an effort to offset declining sales in the energy industries caused by industry consolidations and idling facilities. If approved by the PSC, the revised tariffs would increase the overall system revenue by $7,030,045 per year. The new rates would go into effect on September 1. For the average residential customer, t...

  • Fire season has arrived

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 9, 2020

    Fire restrictions are now in place across Crook County. According to Fire Warden Doug Leis, not only are conditions primed for a severe fire season in this area, we’ve already seen a number of incidents. “Over the last week, we’ve been starting to have fires. Now it’s like every time a storm comes through, we end up with one or two,” Leis says. This includes two fires on Monday morning and two the day before. It’s already getting to be pretty much every day, he says. “It’s here to stay for a while this year. We’re just looking at the we...

  • Twisted evening

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 9, 2020

    Information regarding the tornado that touched down in Crook County on Monday evening makes it difficult for the National Weather Service to pin down exactly where it traveled, according to Susan Sanders, Warning Coordination Meteorologist. Reports have been received from spotters in several places. It appears that the tornado touched down in a remote area of the county and did not do a lot of damage, other than to trees, says Emergency Management Coordinator Ed Robinson. “Any other damage t...

  • New voting machines tested ahead of absentee voting

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 9, 2020

    County Clerk Linda Fritz led a demonstration of the county’s new voting equipment last week for party leaders on both sides. Randy Leinen, Democratic Party, and Chip Neiman and Roger Connett, Republican Party, observed as the new style of counting machine was tested. Fritz, with the help of Deputy Clerk Melissa Jones, pointed out the many safety measures in place to ensure that Crook County’s election results are secure and valid. This was done using DS200 and ExpressVote machines that will be u...

  • Chutes and ladders

    Jul 9, 2020

    Thanks to the help of community fundraisers, some assistance via local donations, including discounted concrete from Sundance Hardware, and the hard work of volunteers Joel Eschedor, Zach Steele, Josh Jacobson and Trevor Olson on assembly day, Kid Prints Daycare has installed a new playset for the little ones to enjoy. Jamie Jessen, board member, says the daycare truly appreciates the community effort that made it happen – as do the kids!...

  • Six lbs. of marijuana found during traffic stop

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 9, 2020

    Three Minnesota residents face felony charges in Crook County related to a large amount of marijuana that was allegedly found in their vehicle when they were pulled over during a traffic stop. On June 22 at around 1:50 p.m., a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper was parked in the median of I-90 near milepost 174. He observed a gray vehicle approaching his location at a measured speed of 78 mph in the 75 mph zone. The trooper reports that he performed a traffic stop near milepost 176 and made contact with the three occupants of the vehicle. The...

  • Sundance man charged with child abuse and aggravated assault

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 9, 2020

    Sundance resident Josh Idler faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges related to an allegedly ongoing situation of verbal and physical abuse that culminated in an incident where he pulled a handgun on a victim. On June 24, Sundance Police Department was contacted and an officer spoke with the alleged victim, who claimed Idler had pulled a handgun on her the night before and described incidents of abuse. Idler has been charged with felony counts of child abuse and aggravated assault and battery. He also faces misdemeanor charges of...

  • County businesses take advantage of stipend programs

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 9, 2020

    A total of 48 small business owners in Crook County have taken advantage of the state’s COVID-19 Business Relief Interruption fund. The fund is part of a suite of stipend programs that made use of CARES Act money to assist Wyoming’s businesses as they were forced to either change their operations or close down in response to the pandemic. Crook County’s applicants are among 4211 statewide applications totaling $104.6 million that were submitted after the fund was launched on June 8. This, according to a press release from the Wyoming Busin...

  • Letter to the Editor

    Jul 9, 2020

    Dear Editor, I am writing in concern to the Superintendent Mark Broderson comments about the opening the schools this fall (June 25 paper). The comments on page 12 about the students being called “bubbles” or “herds”. As I thought about the word herds is that our young men and women are not cattle, sheep, goats or pigs. On scripture in the Bible describes pigs who ran into the sea as a herd of swine. I don’t think “herds” is a very good choice of words to call students. Why not groups of students. “Herd” in the dictionary describes it as a...

  • This Side of the Pond

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 9, 2020

    When I took my husband on a sight-seeing trip of the place where I was born, it was understandable that he’d want to see Stonehenge. It tops every list of world class heritage sites and wonders of the world, a mysterious tribute to a past we don’t understand. In photographs, it appears in eerie relief with a backdrop of sunset light or ominous clouds. It is depicted as a stone monument that speaks of long-forgotten magic, alone on the plains in a setting almost as ancient and wild as the stones...

  • Back to school

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 9, 2020

    Wyoming’s schools will be taking a tiered approach to reopening for the fall semester, said Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow last week. The work done by an education task force to ensure that schools can open safely despite the ongoing pandemic has been revealed in the form of a “Smart Start” document for local districts. Within this document, local school districts have been provided with guidance for the next school year that’s dependent on the level of COVID-19 infection in the community and ranges from how to limit s...

  • SHS coaches receive Coach of the Year Awards

    Jul 9, 2020

    Left to right: Randi Faeth (Assistant Golf Coach of the Year), Lisa Dutton (2A girls Golf Coach of the Year), Greta Crawford (2A Volleyball Coach of the Year), Mike Lashley (Wyoming Coaches Association). The coaches received the awards from the Wyoming Coaches Association last week. Since the Wyoming Coaches Association clinic was cancelled this year, former WCA president, Mike Lashley, travelled around the state to hand-deliver the awards....

  • Sheridan College Honor Rolls

    Jul 9, 2020

    Over 230 students were named to the Sheridan College honor rolls this semester, including Laramie Holst and William Inghram from Sundance who made the President’s Honor Roll. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some students must still complete in-person portions of their coursework. An additional honor roll list will be released at a later date to include those students. For full-time students to earn a place on the President’s Honor Roll, they must maintain full-time enrollment by completing 12 or more college-level credit hours with letter gra...

  • Gillette College Honor Rolls

    Jul 9, 2020

    Almost 130 students were named to the Gillette College honor rolls this semester, including Trey Hendrickson who made the President’s Honor Roll and Sarah Crawford who made the Part-Time Honor Roll, both from Sundance. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some students must still complete in-person portions of their coursework. An additional honor roll list will be released at a later date to include those students. For full-time students to earn a place on the President’s Honor Roll, they must maintain full-time enrollment by completing 12 or mor...

  • Court rules UW can prohibit firearms on campus

    Ethan Sterenfeld, Laramie Boomerang Via Wyoming News Exchange|Jul 9, 2020

    LARAMIE — The University of Wyoming has the power to regulate and prohibit firearms on its campus, and its gun policy does not violate the Second Amendment, Tori Kricken, the district court judge in Albany County, ruled Thursday. This is Kricken’s second ruling in the years-long case of Lyle Williams, of Uinta County, who has sought to overturn the university’s gun policy through the courts. Her previous ruling was overturned by the Wyoming Supreme Court on procedural grounds. Kricken ruled upon a number of separate points related to the univer...

  • Wyoming News Briefs

    From Wyoming News Exchange Newspapers|Jul 9, 2020

    Wyoming gas prices increase slightly GILLETTE (WNE) — Gasoline prices could stall during the second half of summer after nine straight weeks of increases, according to a surveying company. But in the short term, Wyoming customers are paying more at the pump. Prices have risen 1.5 cents a gallon in the past week, averaging $2.09 a gallon Monday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 494 stations. Gas prices in Wyoming are 10.9 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 62.1 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. Prices in Campbell Cou...

  • Fireworks over the lake

    Jul 9, 2020

    Pine Haven celebrated July 4 in style with a day of fun for the kids at Waters Park followed by the annual firework display over Keyhole Reservoir, sponsored by the Pine Haven Volunteer Fire Department. By the time the sun had set, parking spaces were at a premium as people set their chairs in place or got comfortable on their tailgates and ready for the show....

  • Crook County Rodeo Royalty Contestants 2020

    Jul 9, 2020

    Pee-Wee Princess Riata Northup is the daughter of Charity Northup of Oshoto. She will be a fifth grader this fall at Moorcroft K-8 School. She enjoys riding horses, swimming, singing and playing volleyball and basketball. She also participates in the Crook County Horseman’s Association Playdays and Youth Rodeos in the barrels and poles events. Riata is a member of the Carlile Wranglers 4-H club. She helps her community by doing gardening and yard work for neighbors and helping clean the O...

  • Circuit Court

    Jul 9, 2020

    Speeding – Bryn L. Randall, Gillette, 91/80, $100; Matthew P. Jarvis, WA, 88/80, $86; Scott M. Van Hout, IL, 88/80, $86; Kase P. Gustafson, Moorcroft, 91/75, $125; Samir A. Murty, WI, 87/80, $84; Chandra L. Battles, ND, 87/80, $84; Wade A. Cudmore, SD, 84/75, $88; Tanner Stevan Allison, Moorcroft, 79/70, $98; Ghulam Rasol, WA, 89/75, $115; Jennifer E. Wilkins, NC, 90/80, $90; Michael W. Southern, MT, 84/75, $88; William F. Rohan, Gillette, 54/45, $88; Edwin C. Clements IV, Gillette, 48/30, $85; Cade James Mosteller, Moorcroft, 87/80, $84; J...

  • Crook County Sheriff

    Jul 9, 2020

    June 29 – Seven VIN checks. Four traffic stops. Public relations. Hulett coverage. Three sets of fingerprints for outside employment. Booked in subject to jail. Business check. EMS page. Two fire pages. June 30 – Seven VIN checks. Traffic stop. Harassment complaint. Traffic complaint. Set of fingerprints. Gun call. Possible suicidal subject. Booked subject into jail from court. EMS page. Three fire department calls. July 1 – Eleven VIN checks. Checked for missing person from Weston County. Fingerprinting for conceal carry permit. Haras...

  • Crook County Library hosts summer cemetery walks

    Jul 9, 2020

    Crook County Library will be hosting several cemetery walks around the county again this summer, kicking off with the Mt. Moriah Cemetery Walk in Sundance on Thursday, July 9 at 6:30 p.m. Cemetery walks are a great way to learn more about the history of Crook County and share the stories of our early residents. During the course of the evening we will “visit” a number of “residents” of the cemetery, relate their biographies, and share stories or memories about them – at Mt. Moriah we will “meet” Charles Laney, Otis Zimmerschied, Bill Blakeman,...

  • This Week at Your Library

    Jul 9, 2020

    The library doors are open. We will still be doing curbside delivery if you would prefer not to come into the library. Maximum of five (non-staff) people in the library at one time. Maximum length of stay limited to 30 minutes. Children under 13 MUST be accompanied by an adult. Two computers are available for adults. Teen and Children’s computers are not available. Unfortunately, due to budget cut-backs, we are no longer able to offer free InterLibrary Loan requests. There is now a $3 fee to request a book from a library outside of Crook C...

  • New Haven community picnic July 19

    Jul 9, 2020

    The New Haven community picnic will be held on Sun., July 19. The day will start off with the annual business meeting at 4:30 p.m. followed by a 5 p.m. auction for building/property expenses. After the auction, a potluck meal will be held and then games and visiting....

  • Peek at the Past

    Jul 9, 2020

    1 Years Ago July 7, 1920 Not since the days of ’79 has such a sight, nor such a spirit of good cheer and helpfulness in distress, been witnessed as that which was seen by the multitude who were at the river crossing, moving toward the Devils Tower on Saturday, July 3. From Montana they came in covered wagons and on horseback; from South Dakota they came in motor trucks, and from every corner of Crook county and elsewhere in Wyoming they came in every sort of conveyance, with one purpose – to c...

  • Cards of Thanks

    Jul 9, 2020

    Our Thanks We appreciate how everyone has thought of us and helped so much with all of their offers of help, telephone calls, cards, food, memorial donations and just being there for us. The Isburg Funeral home was so helpful to work with. Pastor Jim Palus did a great job with his part in the service. Kevin Evans with the music, the Buttons and Bows for the delicious lunch following the service, those who served as pallbearers and those who attended Dean’s memorial. Thankful for the honor guard Legion #80 attending and giving Dean a military se...

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